Coin return



Nov. 11, 1941. B. c. GRUNIG COIN RETURN Filed July 29, 1940 ,Bern/fiard 6. Grainy INYENTO WZ/W H15 ATTORN j me t anoa aisti UNITED STATES, PATENT- OFFICE 4 Claims. '(cl. 194-63) This invention relates to coin testing devices and has for its principal object the provision of a coin return mechanism for use with the type of coin control which employs a coin carrier to move a coin and release a latch.

A particular feature of the coin return relates to the provision of mechanism for releasing the latch to permit a coin to move out of the carrier, and means for preventing operation of the control while the latch is thus released.

Viewed from another aspect, it is an object of the invention to provide a combination including a coin testing device having a return or scavenging gate and a manually operated member for operating the gate to clear the device of slugs or other unacceptable coin elements, together with an operating control including a coin carrier adapted to receive coins from the coin testing device and move the coin into engagement with a latch to release thelatter, together with coin return means controlled by the scavenging or return operating member for moving the latch into ineilective position so that a coin in the arrier will be returned or released, and simultaneously with theji'elease of thelai'ch another latch will latch the main control against eiIective operation.

Another object relates to the provision of a novel return gate which normally blocks access of defrauding tools to" the latch mechanism through the return exit, but which is moved into open position each time the coin return operating member is actuated,

Other objects, advantages and novel aspec of the invention reside in certain details oi. construction as well as the cooperative relationship of the component parts of the illustrative embodiment described hereinafter in view oi the annexed drawing, in which:

.Fig. l is a perspective oi the control unit with a portion of the casing broken away;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section to enlarged scale along lines 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3is a fragmentary horizontal section looking down along lines 33 of Fig. 2 turned 90 clockwise; a

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section looking toward the return gate in the direction oi lines 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the latch mechanism and return gate.

The complete control unit shown in Fig. 1 includes a housing or casing it having a coin entrance ii at its top and a coin return receptacle I! at its bottom, together with a main operating is having an entrance portion H in register with the deposit opening II, the passage dividing at the lower part of the chute into an acceptance exit II and a reject exit ",there being certain testing instrumentalities knownin the art, and

therefore not shown in detail herein, for influencing the selective movement of the coin into the exits II or 19, depending upon certain characteristics of the coin determining whether the same is acceptable or not.

One of the testing instrumentalities in the chute may be in the nature of a feeler 20, pivoted as at 2-l, on a movable wall section '22 of the chute, whiclusection is more commonly known as a return or scavenging gate. An oflset nose portion II or the Ieeler projects through an opening II in the gate and into the passage It to engage the side 0 .a coin moving down the chute, with the object f projecting into certain openings or surface irregularities in an unacceptable coin to arrest the same.

In order to clear the chute 01' coins arrested as aforesaid, the movable member or gate is pivoted about its hinge connections 25 by actuation of the-return button ll, the lower end portion Ila 'of which bears against a vertically reciprocable lever 26 (Fig. 1) having an arm portion 21 which engagesa cam roller 28 and swings the gate outwardly from its normal position shown in Fig. 1, so that the bottom edge portion 220 or the gate will swing away from the side of the chute over the mouth I! of a return chute I! to free the arrested coin for movement into the return exit II.

In practice, testing chutes of the type above described include additional testing instrumentalities, such as a magnet, not shown herein, but also capable of arresting a coin in that section of the coin e it which is opposite the gate 22, and these coins are likewise discharged :Irom the chute by opening movement of the gate in a manner well known in the art.

Assuming that a 'coin has been accepted by the chute and directed into the acceptance exit it, it will lodge in the control in which. includes a shaft Ila on which is iixed'a rockable or oscillable coin carrier 35 (Figs. 2 and 5) provided' with a downwardly inclined coin groove 38' into which an accepted coin element C drops 7 from the chute.

The coin carrier is normally latched against eifective oscillation or movement by action of a latch arm 31 pivoted as at 33 and providedwith a pin 39 engaging in a latch notch 40 in the carrier, a spring I urging the latch arm yieldably into normally latched condition,.attention being called to the fact that the notch 40 is oversized to permit a limited idle movement of the carrier 35 while in latched condition.

The latch pin 39 is disposed at one side of the acceptance exit i8 opposite a shoulder 42 in the carrier, so that the coin C drops between the pin and the shoulder from the chute, in moving into the' carrier. When an attempt is made to turn the knob i3 of shaft l3a, the carrier urges the coin C against the latch pin 39 and pivots the lever arm 31 to withdraw the pin entirely from latching engagement with the carrier. As soon as the carrier has turned the coin C beneath pin 39, the coin is free to move from the carrier by gravity from the end 36a of the carrier'and into a suitable collection box.

It is frequently desired by the patron that he have his coin returned to him after depositing the same, especially where vending machines are involved and include a plurality of classes of merchandise from which a selection may be made, the return being desired where the patron changes his mind after depositing the coin or possibly makes a mistake in the first instance in selecting a deposit opening, or, for any other legitimate reason, desires to have his coin returned.

Means for effecting return of the coin includes an arrangement particularly illustrated in Fig. wherein there is provided a return lever 50, pivoted as at 5| and having an offset operating connectlon 50a operatively connected as at 52 with a lower end portion 26a of the scavenger operating lever so that the return lever 50 will be rocked each time the scavenging button I4 is depressed. The return lever includes a latch releasing arm or projection 50b having an ofiset end portion 50c which engages beneath the latch pin 39 when the return lever is rocked by the scavenging mechanism, with the result that the latch arm is raised from the carrier a distance suflicien't to permit the coin" to gravitate toward the end 36a sage 53 out of register with the companion passage 53a in the stationary plate. thus preventing the insertion of wires or other defrauding instrumentalities from the return cup beneath the latch arm in an effort to free the latter fraudulentlY.

Means is provided to eifect opening of the return gate with each operation of the return mechanism, this means including the provision of an offset cam arm 55!: on the blocking gate. A cam roller is carried on an offset arm 6| secured to the lower end portion 26a of the-scavenger operating lever, and this roller engages with an upper portion 55b of the cam arm 55a and moves the blocking gate into non-registering position relative to the passage 53a. When the scavenger lever 28 is depressed, roller 60 moves opposite a curved portion 550 in the cam arm and permits the gate 55 to be moved by spring 58 into a position where the passages 53 and 53a are in register so that the coin to be returned may roll from the end 36a into the return cup II.

The full stroke movements of the coin carrier 35, made when the latch is released either by a coin or operation of the return mechanism, is assured by operation of a usual form of full stroke dog cooperable with tooth formations 66 in the periphery of the carrier, the arrangement being such that once the carrier has been moved a substantial amount from latched position (other than in its normal idle stroke motion), the carrier must be turned through a complete displacement before it can be returned.

The various advantages and objects of the invention may be accomplished by modifications of the particular embodiment specifically described herein, and it is intended that the appended claim shall include all equivalent arrangements fairly coming within their call.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a coin control device including an operating control and a coin carrier actuated thereby together with a latch normally restraining the of the carrier and through a blocking gatepas- -rnanipulated to procure an operation of the controlled machine. To prevent this, the return.

lever ill is provided with a latch arm 50d which is rocked into position to engage with a locking pin'fl on the-carrier, thus preventing movement normally holding a deposited coin in said carrier and being adapted to be cammed into non-latching position with respect to said carrier by a coin when a coin is dis ed in the aforesaid position in the carrier an the latter is actuated by the I operating control, the combination with said car- 3 rier of coin return means including a return associated therewith and actuated thereby for of'the carrier "out .of 'normal position so long as I the-scavenging mechanism remains operated.

, In order to prevent insertion of defrauding ir 1- strumentalities through the blocking gate open- I ing-' 53 by manipulation through the return cup i2,there is provided a fraud-preventive blocking gate 55 (Figs; 4 and 5) in which the return pas- :moving said latch into non-latching position and .carrier, the combination with said carrier and ably engaging the upper and lower edge portions of a stationary blocking plate 51 in which there isa companion return opening 53a (Fig. 4) The return gate is disposed in a normal condition by spring means 58 which disposes the return pas- 7 5 latch of coin return means including a return lever arranged for movement from a normal position to move said latch out of latching position sition to a return chute, together with a latching arm moved into latching engagement with means on said carrier simultaneously with the movement ofsaid latch into non-latching position, and mechanism for moving said return lever into and out of normal position.

3. In a device of the class described, a coin carrier adapted to receive coin elements, a latch normally latching said carrier against effective movement and normally holding a deposited coin in an efiective position, said latch being engaged and moved by a coin in the carrier into nonlatching position responsive to movement of the coin by the carrier, said coin being free to gravitate from the carrier when said latch is in nonlatching position, means yieldably urging said latch into latching position, means for moving said latch into non-latching position to permit a coin to gravitate as aforesaid, and means coacting with said last-mentioned means for latching the carrier against effective movement when said latch is moved into non-latching position as aforesaid.

4. In a device of the class described including a main operating control, a coin carrier oscillated by said control and adapted to receive coin elements, means providing a return passage for a coin element gravitating from the carrier. a latch normally latching said carrier against effective movement but permitting limited idle movement thereof, said latch adapted to hold a coin element received within said coin carrier and adapted to be cammed into a non-latching position by oscillation of said carrier with a coin positioned as aforesaid, a. movable blocking member normally blocking said return passage, coin return means for moving said latch out of latching position arid out of coin holding position and including a secondary latch adapted to engage said coin carrier independently of said first-mentioned latch, means coacting with s7aid coin return means for moving said blocking member into non-blocking 

